YRC 37

Building the Next Generation of Thinkers & Writers

Young Reader Club ISSUE 37 / SGD 8.00 ISSN: 2010 - 1376

Be inspired by Michael Ho’s nevergive-up attitude, as he shares how his favourite author influences him to write

TOP 10

Getting muddled and tongue-tied over words? So do we!

Check out ten pairs of words we often get mixed up!

Featured Stories

Fight for freedom and justice in two action-packed stories!

Protect your home in Awakening Darkness, and bring down the baddies in Only One Shot

Scan here to know 3about YRC!

Young Reader Club / Issuemore 37

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YRC Online provides blogs and reviews by young authors about issues and topics that concern the youth of today, while giving opportunities to maximise the YRC experience through e-books, worksheets for students and teachers, and 4 e-magazines!

SGD 7.50 ISSN: 2010- 1376

Breaking Boundaries: Cambodia

2 teachers and 1 village with a dream

YRC Investigates:

Singapore’s Lost History

Discovering memories & more

Health Matters

Celebrating World Milk Day 2011

Fierce Facts

Cool things about pizza

3 Fascinating Tales You Can’t Resist

Jennifer Yip, Maybank 2007 YAA Awardee Our Featured Author of the Month

Building the Next Generation of Thinkers & Writers3 VOL. 8 2011

THE YRC TEAM Managing Editor / Publisher Catherine Khoo Editor Natalya Thangamany

From the Publisher’s Desk

Circulation Manager

Nannette Marajas-Cruz

Dear readers,

Designer

How time flies! Already, we are in the last four months of 2016, and what an eventful year it has been. Why not take the time to check out this issue of YRC?

Lim Soo Yong Illustrator

Spark Tan, Vickie Yong

For advertising and sales enquiries

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Emit Asia 6372 0330 Distributor ilovereading.sg Pte Ltd

9199 3758 Email: info@youngreaderclub.sg Website: www.youngreaderclub.sg All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Call 6336-8985 for back issues.

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by Stamford Press Pte Ltd Additional photos by

Natalya Thangamany

We know that Rick Riordan is a popular author amongst you readers, and our Featured Author is as much a fan as you all are. Meet Michael Ho, who has written The Traitor and the more recent The Scythe of Kronos. Having participated in the Young Author Award twice, Michael has much writing experience to share. Not only that, he is an avid lover of music and possesses a never-give-up attitude we can all learn from.

Speaking of ‘never giving up’, that is what the feline protagonist of our first featured story — Mary Aung’s Awakening Darkness — aims to do. Meet Amber, a brave young cat, who receives a frightening vision about a huge threat to her family. Journey with her as she fights back amidst the trials she faces. Will she be able to save her fellow cats from their worst enemies?

If you enjoy military action and adventure, then you will enjoy Bryan Sim’s Only One Shot. Here are twenty pages of suspense and thrills, as we join Lieutenant Jaden Schlafer in battling the odds to take down a dangerous drug lord. As he is left to fend for himself, our hero is left with ‘only one shot’ to finish the job. Will he succeed?

We dabble with the troubles of English in our Top 10, as we take a look at words we muddle up in writing or reading.

Even the best writers make mistakes, so don’t be too sad — it’s a good chance to keep reading and learning. We even threw in some tips to help you discern between terms.

Enjoy reading, and all the best for your upcoming exams!

is published by Experiences & Experiments Books Pte Ltd 261 Waterloo Street #03-08 Waterloo Centre Singapore 180261

Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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4 Featured Author: Michael Ho

15-year-old Michael Ho brought his love for Rick Riordan’s books into his writing,

and produced two stories inspired by them. Having been a finalist in the Young Author Award two times, Michael sets his eyes on the future as he takes it day by day. We speak to him as he shares about his writing experience, his interest in music, and his determination to take on life in his own pace.

10 Awakening Darkness by Mary Aung

Amber, a young feral cat, receives a horrifying vision about a vicious attack that

would destroy her clan. As she struggles to come to terms with the clan’s impending doom and convince her best friend, tragedy occurs. Amber copes with loss and fear as she and her fellow cats challenge their fate.

22 Only One Shot by Bryan Sim

Joel Masquerade is a wanted man, and a ruthless one at that. Lieutenant Jaden

Schlafer and his team are the ones assigned to take him out. But their opponent is as cunning as they are. After a violent confrontation, Schlafer finds himself alone and vulnerable. He only has his sniper rifle and survival instincts. He has only one shot.

42 Top 10 Words We Mix Up

Language is a tricky thing to master, and English is no exception. More often

than we want to, we type out errors only visible after a few checks. There are so

many words we mix up, incurring much confusion and embarrassment. We sieve

out ten pairs of such words, and share tips on remembering which word is which.

At YRC Magazine, we ensure that stories are kept at their most original form, yet there are times that content is abridged to suit the magazine’s readership. Stories featured in YRC Magazine are abridged as necessary, to fit page constraints. The YRC is a literary magazine that conforms to the reading palate of 10 – 16 year olds. Once a story is featured in the magazine, it is at the discretion of the editor to copyedit articles to a certain extent, to suit the target audience.

Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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Featured Author

Michael

The Scythe of Kronos

Ho

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S

omewhere in the east of Singapore, as the lift doors opened, the lone corridor we stepped out into lit up with a steady stream of piano music. That stream grew louder as we reached our destination, and peered through the windows. There, tucked in a corner of cool interior decorated with neo-vintage furniture and murals, sat 15-year-old Michael Ho and a black classic piano. He smiles, pauses his playing, and lets us in. Michael is our Featured Author for this issue, and we were thus at his home to talk about his writing and what he has been up to since writing his last story.

D O U BL E TH E F U N

he read, especially the popular Percy Jackson series written by his favourite author, Rick You may have read Michael Ho’s story Riordan. “I read a lot of books,” he said. “I in Issue 34 and 35 of YRC — The Scythe of get ideas from the different books (I read).”

Kronos, a Rick Riordan-inspired adventure Michael revealed that he had been an about four hunters with greatly differing avid reader of Rick Riordan since young. “I personalities thrown together to retrieve the read all of his books,” he shared. “They were titular weapon. all centered around Greek, Egyptian, and The Scythe of Kronos was not the first Roman mythology.” As a result, Michael put story Michael wrote, and he himself has all of his inspiration from Riordan’s works hinted it may not be the last. into his stories.

Currently in Secondary Three in Bowen As for entering his first Young Author Secondary School, Michael Ho wrote Awards three years ago, Michael owes it to his first story The Traitor when he was his mother, Zolynn. “She was surfing the net in Primary 6 in Punggol Primary School. and she found out about the Young Author While he did not attend the Young Author Awards,” he shared. “So she asked me if Scheme, Michael had entered the Young I wanted to give it a try. And I was quite Author Awards twice — The Traitor was his curious about it, so I decided to give it a try.” first submission, The Scythe of Kronos his “At first, I was very reluctant because it second. took me quite long to write (the story) and I As we read through both stories (way was thinking ‘What if it is not good enough?’ before having this interview), we noticed a But then I thought ‘Never mind, I will just few recurring themes between the two: submit it and see (how it goes)’.”

• There were numerous references to For both submissions, Michael became Greek mythology. a finalist — twice — for the Young Author • The protagonists were a group of four.

Awards. He shared that during his writing • The protagonists have to go on a mission process, he enjoyed manifesting his to find something or someone. imagination into words, although he did not • There was a betrayal involved. enjoy the writer’s block he got along the Michael believes these recurrences were way. due to being heavily inspired by the books Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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Animal Tales

Awakening Darkness

By Mary Aung

I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y S p a r k Ta n

10

M

Awakening Darkness

ist swirled around the trees arching overhead, casting shadows on the long and lush grass. A ginger she-cat, Amber, was lost and confused, until she saw a tortoiseshell she-cat that she had never seen before. I must be dreaming, she thought.

Amber on her flank. She looked up. To her enormous relief, it was her friend Hazel.

“You were yowling like a fox in a fit,” The other cat turned her head and gazed she joked, her whiskers twitching with at her with her beautiful amber eyes. “My amusement. Her tone then turned to one of name is Maple,” she muttered. “Come with worry. “Are you alright?” me.” She then turned and walked away.

Amber stood up and shook her ruffled Amber bounded after her wordlessly, pelt. The dream was not real, yet it was so although her head was buzzing with vivid she could taste them. “I’m fine,” she questions. replied. Amber did not want Hazel to feel the terror she felt.

They walked towards a cluster of trees.

When the trees cleared, a shimmering silver pool came into view. It shone like a star in the dark sky. Amber stared at it, mystified. “Look at it, and you will see what the future holds. I am afraid the future is harsh,” Maple meowed.

With her heart drumming against her chest, Amber stared at the pool. Suddenly, the ground beneath her gave way. She was plunged into a battlefield filled with screeching, clawing cats fighting for their lives. Unseen enemies leaped out of bushes, intending to kill them all.

The grass was pooled with blood. Cat blood. One by one, the cats met their deaths. “Noooooo!” Amber wailed with grief. Her family and friends’ lives were gone, forever. Killed by bloodthirsty creatures.

The Beginning of Doom All of a sudden, something poked

Both of them nosed their way out of the den. Amber decided to tell Star, the leader of the cats. So she went off to Star’s den.

“Star, may I speak to you, alone?” Amber asked politely.

“Of course.” Star answered. They entered the den and Star sat on her mossy nest.

“Yes?” she asked.

“A cat named Maple told me to look into a silver pool,” Amber described. “I saw us battling evil enemies.”

Star looked thoughtful. “Maybe that is a vision. If it is, we must prepare for a battle.

Thank you Amber, you may go now.”

Amber padded out of the den. What if Star’s words are right? She pondered. What if the cats were doomed to lose the battle and their lives?

Broken Friendship

Amber ran as fast as her paws would carry her. The wind whizzed past her. The Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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Featured Story

Amber padded up to the other cat.

“Where am I?” she questioned. “And who are you?”

Story Trivia

Feral Cats The cats in Mary Aung’s story are not your typical fluffy house pets, but wild warriors unafraid to bare fang and claw to protect their loved ones. True, cats are natural fighters and predators, whether they are scratching posts, chasing birds, sleeping on the pavement, or looking for food.

There are two kinds of cats who live outside and do not have owners — stray and feral. The difference between them is that stray cats are sociable with humans (with most of them having been pets before), while feral cats have little to no contact with humans and thus fear them.

Domesticated cats are at risk of becoming feral if they do not interact with humans for a very long time. This is especially if the cat is abandoned or a runaway, becoming a stray. Strays may then graduate into being feral if left on their own for an extended period of time.

Feral cats are known to live in colonies, and can both survive and hunt on their own. Because of a lack of contact with

humans, they will stay away and hide if they encounter them. The cats in Awakening Darkness can be seen as feral, as they avoid humans and live in the wild as a family.

Should a feral cat be brought in as a pet or left on its own? The answer is, no matter how cute a feral cat is, it should be left in its outdoor colony. This is for its own protection and livelihood; because of its fear of humans, if it is brought into a shelter, it could succumb to the stress and anxiety it feels there. However, feral kittens, if treated well, can become socialized to humans.

No matter what cats do or where they live, they possess both an endearing charm and slick sense of survival that drive us two-legged hairless beings to adore them. We often find ourselves sharing cat photos and sometimes, we even prefer the company of cats to those of our fellow humans.

Wouldn’t you agree about our love for cats?

Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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Mystery & Adventure

ONLY ONE SHOT

By Bryan Sim

I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y V i c k i e Yo n g 22

he walls of the office were lined with photographs depicting mobs of angry men, their numbers in the thousands — common-looking civilians, dressed in working clothes, carrying banners and screaming at the top of their lungs.

In some pictures, the banners were replaced by weapons (guns and clubs) that were leveled at the much more heavily armed mercenaries of the corporations. Often, it did not matter who it was they were fighting, whether it was company goons, ‘private detectives’, state police, or federal agents.

They all served under the same enemy.

Joel Masquerade leaned back slowly on his well-worn armchair facing the wall and started to count the number of bullets in his Colt .45 pistol, as he waited for his henchmen to return. He expected them to return around this time, even though the assignment he had given them was obviously impossible to complete even within 24 hours.

Assassins needed more time than regular snipers, to get in close and personal in order to make it clean. Snipers usually did not do that.

Joel was born into the Masquerade crime family in 1986, and raised in the family’s secret hideout hidden in the Swiss Alps. Here, tucked away in this desolate countryside, there were no hired killers to hide from, no state police to avoid, and definitely no FBI tapping into the phone lines. This was the Masquerades’ idea of paradise: a secret headquarters filled to the brim with lethal weapons, where they could carry out their illegal drug trafficking without some snooping government official finding out. True, there were sometimes police raids on their stockpiles of drugs, but this only caused the Masquerade family to only lose a small portion of their wealth. Talk about scooping a teaspoon of water out of the ocean.

Joel’s thoughts were broken by the sound of a knock on the door. The men were back, no doubt about it, and back almost a minute to spare to the deadline. His secretary, Mary,

popped her head in and announced, “The men are back. Would you like to see them now or shall I tell them to take a short rest first, since they hiked all the way back here?”

“I would like to see them now please. You know how much I hate waiting,” Joel replied.

Nodding her head, Mary added, “Very well, sir.”

Five minutes later, the two-man assassination team appeared before Joel Masquerade, their stoic expressions hiding the triumph they were feeling after a successful mission. After all, the rumors that had passed through the Masquerade ranks were that the master rewarded those who served him well; the failures were never seen again.

Joel Masquerade turned his chair around and with a sweep of his arm, gestured for the men to speak. Their leader, a SAS-trained Bulgarian, immediately launched himself into the result of the story and how they had managed to pose as Red Cross paramedics in order to hijack the ambulance on standby at the grand opening of the Zurich Opera Theater. They then infiltrated the Security Control Room overlooking the VIP private suite by knocking out the two guards on duty there, before shooting out the glass windows of the suite and injuring the American Ambassador, who was the VIP for the night, with 7.62mm bullet grazes down the length of his arms and legs. The Ambassador was then promptly evacuated to the hijacked ambulance, where the two assassins were on ‘standby’ there, their 9mm pistols hidden under their jackets, cocked and ready. The ambulance’s sterile white walls were splattered with blood by the time the ambulance had been ditched inside a small cave carved into one of the many Swiss mountains, the Ambassador’s body shredded apart by the many bullets that it contained.

Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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Featured Story

T

Only One Shot

W

hile Bryan Sim’s story about the battle of wits and guns between the military and a wanted criminal is fictional, it is not all that different from what goes down every time a crime-busting operation is carried out.

In bigger cases, the action involved may be as dramatic and action-packed as Bryan’s story — guns blazing, explosion, high-speed chases and melee combat. Other times, it is just simply raiding or breaking into a criminal’s hideout with less sophisticated weaponry.

But no matter how big or small the operation is, there is always the objective of removing threats and keeping the peace for everyone. Every country has their own methods of responding to these threats.

Often, a huge military team is utilized to carry out such dangerous peacekeeping procedures; in America, one of such organizations is known as the United States Navy’s Sea, Air and Land teams, or the Navy SEALs for short.

According to our online research, the Navy SEALs are seen as the States’ ‘primary special operations force’. Their activities include dealing with terrorism, maritime

military campaigns, international military activity, and covert reconnaissance. Training is tough and held at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, where trainees learn physical and mental skills to combat challengers.

The SEALs started in 1943, during World War II, after the US Navy spotted a need to improve their coastal defenses.

President Kennedy formally acknowledged them after the Korean War in the 1950s.

Since then, SEAL units have expanded their operations to taking care of both national and international threats, keeping us safe and sound.

But there are also many times where the military makes mistakes and innocent lives are lost, leading to anger and disgruntlement at the ones supposed to protect us. So, while we need a security force to preserve our peace, we also need to recognize our own responsibilities in protecting our livelihood.

As we look back on Bryan Sim’s story, we have to remember that it is not always about the big guns, the explosive action, and the huge army, but about our values and what we want to protect.

Young Reader Club / Issue 37 41

Featured Story

Story Trivia

KEEPING THE PEACE

TOP 10

WORDS WE MIX UP

Writing can be fun. Reading can be enriching.

But sometimes, when you are indulging in a good piece of writing, you have to do a double take because you spotted a glaring error. The truth is, even the best writers can get their words mixed up; a simple switch of a letter or omission of quotation marks could lead to a different meaning and a rather horrid typo. But whether you are a reader or a writer, don’t fret — words are a tricky thing to get around and one should be patient in wielding them well. So, after poring (no mix-up here!) over our online research, here are ten of the numerous words we often get mixed up, and some tips on how to match them well.

42

(1) Stationery vs Stationary Correct Usage: “The car was stationary.”

“We went to a stationery shop.”

Switching just the ‘a’ and ‘e’ could imply the vehicle in question was made out of writing materials. While that sounds like a cool thing to drive, it is one of those tricky errors where changing just one letter could lead for an entirely different meaning for the word.

Which One is Which: Remember, there is no ‘a’ in ‘write’. So the word with ‘e’ in it is the one for describing your pack of writing materials.

(2) Diary vs Dairy Correct Usage: “She was writing in her diary.”

“Milk is made at a dairy farm.”

A farm containing everybody’s personal recordings may sound like a good idea for a dystopian novel, but not in a writing error.

Luckily, while these two words have similar spellings, their pronunciations are different enough to help readers and writers distinguish between them.

Which One is Which: ‘Dairy’ rhymes with ‘daily’, and daily we consume our dairy products like milk and cheese. Also, if you read somebody’s diary without permission, you could ‘die’ (figuratively — who hasn’t been punished by their siblings for peeking into their diaries?).

Looking out for rhymes in words can help you remember their meaning better.

Young Reader Club / Issue 37

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Featured Story

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